Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	church_n	heaven_n	loose_v	1,829	5	10.6656	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81213	The moderator: endeavouring a full composure and quiet settlement of those many differences both in doctrine and discipline, which have so long disturbed the peace and welfare of this common-wealth. Intended (especially at this time) to beget a brotherly love and unity amongst the ministers and people of all the three nations; the Parliament having now appointed a committee for receiving proposals for the propagation of the gospel. Brotherly unity amongst all Christians, especially amongst the ministers of Christ, being in it self so excellent and comely at all times, and (considering the danger and sad consequences of our present divisions) so desirable and necessary at this time: I conceive all overtures and counsels having a true tendency thereunto, worthy the publike light, and do therefore approve the publication of this ensuing discourse. Joseph Carly.	Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673, attributed name.	1652 (1652)	Wing C780B; Thomason E664_1; ESTC R206830	94,748	118

amongst us and if there is any faithfulnesse and constancie to bee expected from those that professing Christianitie have entred into solemne protestations vowes and covenants to stand united according to the will of God for the advancement of a common-reformation and the settlement of our union therein if I say there bee any such thing as love to truth zeale for righteousnesse and faithfulnesse of Christian Covenants I may adjure such as pretend thereunto to shew themselves at this time therein for their owne and their Brethrens preservation that by the duties of Brotherly unitie in the holy profession they may bee found to keepe faith and a good conscience without blame For as it is not possible that the Faith once given to the Saints can bee maintained by any without a good conscience so the integritie of a good conscience cannot bee kept without observing the end of the holy Commandement which is the practise of love out of a pure heart Now this practise amongst Mininisters in their Ministeriall charges can bee none other but a conscionable concurrence of their spirits in that aime wherein the all relate unto Christ to strengthen one anothers hands in the works of his service For their unity and love to each other can have no truth but as it relates unto him nor can it relate otherwise unto him then by fulfilling his will in doing the works of his service and if this aime be lost in any let them pretend what they will their conscience is not sound their performance is not acceptable nor will their indeavours be for ever established hence it is that because many have left off to aime sincerely at this who either delight to stand wholly by themselves and give way to dividing principles and practises or thinke it more expedient to stand wholly associated but give way to the meanes of humane power to trust more thereunto then to the duties of Christian love and serviceablenesse therefore it is just with God to withdraw from such of both sides that walke in these wayes and from their undertakings the blessing of his presence So that by reason of the want of his strength to goe along and conduct to guide them all their hands are weakned nothing which is undertaken doth prosper the service of Christs house is not advanced the stewards thereof are either divided by themselves or scattered by others and generally they are as men without a heart afraid one of another and through these their breaches a whole deluge of damnable errors and a full current of all unrighteous wicked and scandalous practises hath overwhelmed and almost drowned the Churches so that the very floodgates of hell seeme to bee opened upon us and have covered us with the proud waves of all licenciousnesse And although it cannot bee denied but that it is just with God to suffer Satan thus farre to prevaile against all for the sinnes of all and to make this breach upon the Leaders for their A doubt answered concerning the office of the Ministery failing in the Ministery yet it is farre from mee to thinke as some doe that the promise of God is failed in this our age at if there were neither true Church nor Ministery any more amongst us or any where in this world but that the gates of hell having prevailed against the Church which Christ did once institute by his Apostles a new mission must be expected and a new foundation laid for the erecting of his kingdome I say God forbid that I should thinke so Yea let God bee true but every man a liar for I beleeve that heaven and earth shall passe Rom. 3. 4. Matth. 24. 3● Matth. 16. 16 17 18 19. away but the word that is gone out of Christs mouth shall not passe away Now Christ upon a speciall occasion said distinctly unto his Disciples three things which are these 1 That his Church should bee built upon the rock of that truth whereof the Apostles made confession which was that Jesus was the Christ the sonne of the living God 2 That the gates of hell should not prevaile against that Church 3 And lastly That the keyes of the kingdome of heaven with authoritie to bind and loose on earth whatever should be bound and loosened in heaven shall be given to this Church These promises I beleeve to bee so sure that they shall never faile Therefore I must conclude that neither the foundation of the Church nor the Church which is builded thereupon nor the Ministeriall authoritie of the keyes given to that Church shall faile so long as this world doth last Forwhat although some doe not beleeve and are disobedient to the will of God shall their unbelief and disobedience make the faith and truth of God without effect God forbid yea all men are to bee found liars that God may bee found true for he hath concluded all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all therefore in his sayings he shall be justifified and when he is judged overcome Wee must therefore acknowledge that by our unrighteousnesse the righteousnesse of God is to be commended and that although we of this Nation should utterly faile him and bee no more worthy to be counted his Church yet that he will never faile to doe what hee hath said unto the seed of Christ amongst men and never recall the word which hee hath spoken concerning his Church But Isa 59. 21. this we are bound to beleeve that wheresoever there is a societie of men beleeving with their heart and with their mouth making openly profession of this truth that Jesus is the Christ the Sonne of the living God there is a Church existent and wheresoever a Church is existent there the authoritie of the keyes is not wanting because Christ hath said that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it I shall then confidently conclude from these premises two things first seeing there are societies of beleevers which are here existent and known to bee built upon that truth which is the foundation that therefore notwithstanding all these failings in particular duties whereof they are guiltie that yet Gods promise for the main will never be wanting to them as to his Church Secondly I may infer this also that notwithstanding all the advantages which Satan seemeth to have gotten both against the Ministery of this Church and against their administrations therein whereby hee doth blast them and the fruit of their labours yet wee may bee sure that he shall never prevaile so farre as to make void the priviledge of the Church which is to have a right to the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and thereby to the administration of all Christs Ordinances Now then although indeed it is very sad and lamentable that the Build●rs themselves should be so far wanting to their dutie as by their divisions to give such an advantage unto Satan that hee should bee able visibly to pull down more then they are able to build up yet

prejudicate opinions deceive us no where more then in the thoughts of persons the imaginations which wee frame to our selves of others and of their principles insnare our affections and shut us up from that freedome of spirit towards them which might bee a meanes either to gaine or to discover them to us for they byas our proceedings and corrupt that ingenuitie without which wee are darkned and neither can discerne others nor be discerned by them in truth For when wee apply our selves to one this way and to another that way and doe not walke equally by the plain Rule of the new creature towards all wee must needs be intangled and lose our strength which is upheld by nothing so much as by that plainnesse wherein it is alwayes like it selfe Our various presumptions of men and of their different designes cause us to be with child and when they have put us in pain they make us bring forth as it were wind nor can wee at all worke any deliverance in the earth by them to our selves or others because we bring nothing but earthly wisedome with us to subdue the spirits of men before which the inhabitants of the world will never fall Therefore if wee would seeke out and find those that are fit to receive the good which wee would offer to them let us never take upon us to judge determinately of any man this or that way according to appearances but leaving him to God and himselfe let us judge righteous judgement as wee desire others to judge and presume of us by the Rules of Charity so let us apply our thoughts unto them for this will keep us in a frame of freedome within our selves and ingenuity towards them without which no safe addresse can bee made unto any 2 To discover then such as are capable of the good which wee 2. To addresse our selves to all by one rule observe by whom the good which is offered is resented doe follow wee must addresse our selves unto all alike by one and the same Rule of sincerity and truth and where wee finde that the good which wee have prosecuted is resented there we should apply our selves more particularly to multiply the manifestation thereof unto them and to fix more deeply the sense thereof into their apprehensions For where wee see that God doth cause the seed which is sowen to take root there wee may hope that being watered it will fructifie by his blessing 3 And although our addresses should bee thus towards all 3. To make a more speciall application to those that are of note yet this must not hinder a more speciall application of our selfe to some who are likely to bee more capable then others of good motions such then as are of good report for piety and parts such as are noted for temper and moderation from humane passions and such as are apparently zealous for the workes of Reformation ought to bee lookt upon with a speciall eye and sought out They ought to be dealt withall more plainly and more fully for the setting of their judgements aright and the clearing of doubts which they may have concerning our wayes and principles and then wee ought also to put an edge upon their affections to concurre with us towards a progresse in publike workes that the righteousnesse which doth reach alike unto the edification of all may bee advanced for the compleating of the work of our reformation 4 And as publick and private reports are not altogether to 4. Not to be● much swayed with good or evill reports concerning any but to measure all by the true standard the life of Christ in the Spirit bee slighted for the finding out of men so are they not either way easily and much to bee credited for they are carried for the most part by interests and a man of judgement that doth set a rule unto himselfe in all his wayes will both on this side and on that side arme himselfe against the strong impressions of evill and good reports Against the evill ones hee will have in store charitable constructions of things that may bee well taken lest his spirit be rashly byased to a wrongfull affection against him that deserveth it not and against the largenesse of the good ones hee will ballance himselfe with discretion and prudence lest hee bee swayed through too much credulity to a groundlesse confidence in one that may deceive him and thus keeping himselfe both wayes free in an equall temper neither too high nor too low in his apprehensions to rise and fall with the blasts of reports hee will bee able to steer an even course in his cariage towards all measuring himselfe and all other men in his and their actions by one and the same rule which is the life of Christ in the Spirit for that is the onely standard by which all are to bee measured that is the onely touchstone by which all spirits are to bee tryed whether they bee true gold or not In this search and discoverie of persons although none are to bee excluded of what qualitie and condition soever yet those that are called Divines are chiefly to bee sought after because they have a great influence upon the spirits both of the multitude and also of the ordinary sort of stayed men to sway their affections Except then wee deale with these men according to these rules to gaine them to our ayme wee shall finde the wayes of peace and union mainely obstructed and the gall of bitternesse now stirred and overflowing in many almost impossible to be allayed I have done with the discovery of persons fit to bee dealt withall The third point is concerning the means by which confidence may bee begotten in these towards us and set a working towards all for the composure of differences This meanes I conceive is none other but a free and orderly Treatie to be set a foot between some of us and some of their side And to the end that The meanes to beget confidence is a treatie of which the requisites are briefly noted by this meanes mutuall confidence may bee begotten equall power to propose matters to bee taken into consideration and equall freedome from awfull prescriptions must bee assured unto all and an equall engagement must bee conscionably laid upon all alike to meet to meet I say constantly and never to leave off the Treatie till the end for which it shall bee undertaken be attained or at least the course which therein should bee followed shall be brought to a full period The disagreement was originally about the frame and constitution The subject thereof is twofold of Churches but now it is about the power of setling the government of the Kingdome the first controversie hath still an influence upon the latter so that this will never bee well agreed without some determination of that The treaty concerning Civill government can bee no where 1. Concerning civill government to bee transacted in the Parliament set

indirectly to draw mens windes from the way of Christ by this way of his owne creating then he hath clearely gained his end because he will be able to keepe mens understandings in darknesse that is in ignorance or doubt of the truth and their will and affections in confusion and disorder that is in a frame opposit The direct meanes of erecting Satans kingdome to the Law of God and his righteousnesse Now Satan will bee able to doe this directly by his instruments when hee can cause the profession of ignorance to be advanced set up and commended by authority or commanded by a Law or when hee can cause the knowledge and practise of any thing besides that which is setled by meer humane authority for certain ends of State to be made a crime punishable by death by infamie or by any other penaltie and when he can cause the whole frame and profession of Religion to bee fitted onely to establish that greatnesse wherein the glory of the outward state and the authority of his instruments doth consist All which Satan doth with a high hand grosly in the Mahumetan but with more subtiltie and most compleatly in the Papall state and this hee is able to doe every where else in some competent measure wheresoever the maximes of absolute dominion are maintained and where the great Idoll of Politicians which is called the reason or interest of State is onely worshipped and the true reason and interest of Conscience and Religion is laid aside and comparatively not at all regarded I say wheresoever this course is followed there Satan is able to oppose the kingdome of Christ directly But where hee cannot attaine to this hee taketh the neerest The indirect means whereby Satan sets up his kingdome way hee can to gaine the same purpose indirectly which is done by making all doctrines of Truth doubtfull and all Gospel Ordinances full of confusion Now to make all Truths doubtfull hee raiseth disputes and doth find out wayes to make them undecidable and this he doth chiefly by the meanes of those that should bee the unanimous witnesses of that Truth which is called into question when they are disunited amongst themselves And to confound the Ordinances he setteth every one promiscuously upon the administration thereof in his owne way not onely by giving a freedome unto all both to doe without controule what they please in such matters and to condemne and oppose every one that is not of their way but also by disanulling the authoritie by which all order should bee setled in Church and Common-wealth And to bring all this to passe his main endeavour is to cause the Ministers of the Gospel either to bee subordinate unto his ministers in all things at their will or by variance of judgement amongst themselves and difference of practises from each other to lose their way to neglect the rules of unitie and forbearance which the Word prescribeth to uphold the communion of Saints which is their strength to breake the bonds of love and peace and having ingaged them into quarrels to bring them within the compasse of his reach that is to move them to act their controverties by the wayes of the power and policie of his kingdome for self aimes For if hee once can corrupt the simplicitie of their mindes so that they minde not truely the dutie of being conformable to the Word in every thing and to the spirituall aime of Christs walking in the world and if he can ingage them into worldly designes to advance the same in a worldly way hee hath gotten them cleerly within his reach where he will endeavour to the utmost first to cause them utterly forget and lay aside the aime of their spirituall calling Secondly to allure them unto and affect them with the appearance and glory of his dominion Thirdly to act them by the principles of outward feares and hopes to that which hee would have them doe and when hee hath once gotten them thus farre under the power of this snare he will be able without resistance to carry them headlong amongst themselves to more and more uncharitablenesse and unconscionablenesse of conversation whereby breaches will bee multiplied and made irreconciliable For although a difference arise but from a very small and circumstantiall matter amongst them as it doth naturally fall out amongst other men yet Satan aiming at them above all others to get advantages against them if he doth find them in such a case either without brotherly and charitable affections or inclined to please themselves hee will bee able to worke upon them first jealousies and by jealousies mistakes and by mistakes a distance and strangenesse by reason of worldly aimes differently carried on and when plots and passions are come to some maturitie crosse courses and mutuall provocations will bee set on foot reall injuries will bee offered complaints and clamours will break forth which in continuance make the divisions of hearts past all remedy and irreconciliable because it is not possible that men who aime at worldly matters should deny themselves either the use of their wit and passions in the prosecution of their designe or neglect the strength which they have in hand when they thinke it can serve their turne For if they should doe so they should seeme to quit their designes and so lose at once both the credit and profit thereof which to men that make use of their reason onely to compasse their owne will and to that effect can employ both power and policie is a thing altogether insufferable as being no lesse contemptible then folly and as hatefull as death This I conceive to bee one of the mysteries of iniquity by which Satan doth prevaile against the Ministers of the Gospel even against many men that are otherwise godly and able but are not sufficiently aware of his wiles by which they are drawn from their owne and ensnared in his way by which meanes their hands being weakned in their work hee gaineth his end at least indirectly by their infirmities and miscarriages Therefore all such as are conscionably sensible of their own frailties and of those dangers should bee wakened from securitie to become watchfull over their owne souls in these times of temptation for amongst the Protestant Churches where with the increase of knowledge a true sense of Christian libertie is begotten in the minds of professors Satan hath none other way to fit to erect his kingdome as this is of dividing the Ministers for which cause as wee see their divisions daily increased so the remedies should be the more earnestly thought upon and offereed with freedome and tendernesse unto all indifferently but chiefly to those who are neerest in principles and have least cause to walke asunder and b● at a distance These remedies can bee none other but the helpes to holy The remedy against Satans way of corrupting the ministery communion amongst Ministers in the prosecution of spirituall aimes tending to the advancement of Truth

then some rules should bee thought upon debated and by common consent setled concerning three things First how needlesse disputes and multiplicitie of new controversies breaking forth in the Presse and Pulpit may be prevented Secondly how the injuriousnesse of censures and of proceeding which men of partiall dispositions and of high thoughts runne into may bee rectified when disputes are necessary And Thirdly how the secret mischief of suspicious whisperings and tale-bearing amongst Brethren may bee prevented and being discovered satisfactorily corrected And that some rules of righteousnesse may bee found in the Word to remedie these evills and may bee raised from the nature of Christian charitie equitie ingenuitie pietie discretion and prudencie I suppose none will deny who doth beleeve that the holy Scriptures with and by the spirit of God which is promised to the children of God are able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished unto every good word and worke Thus I have made out as briefly and as distinctly as this occasion seemeth to require the truth of the first and second assertion of this discourse namely that the Ministery of this kingdome is undeniably obliged in conscience to the mutuall profession of Brotherhood and that the termes of their unitie and forbearance are both in themselves full and satisfactory and may bee setled reciprocally amongst them in a plaine and easie way if the men that lead others were but willing to looke to God more then to men and to conscience more then to outward interests CHAP. XII The third Assertion Concerning the motions which should induce us to make profession of this unitie and forbearance Why these are requisite and what they are BUt now although these things are evidently thus demonstrable and by all that which hitherto hath been alledged it may be manifestly apparent that these who are the leaders of the flockes should not onely stand united and walk by one rule in that whereunto they have attained but also that their differences may and ought to bee composed in love by amiable meetings by orderly conferences and by the settlement of a necessary and lawfull forbearance of each other although I say all this is so yet wee see to the great dishonour of God the lamentable disadvantage of the truth and the extreame griefe of many godly soules that this hath not hitherto either beene done or effectually prosecuted and intended by th●se that are in the worke of the Ministery or if it hath been intended by some yet not so as it ought to have been that is upon the grounds which are proper unto their vocation What the causes of this neglect may bee wee shall not now particularly search into onely in generall wee may take notice that all such failings in dutie may proceed from two main causes either that men otherwise knowing and godly yet consider not the necessitie of this dutie in respect of the evills that follow upon the neglect thereof or that the excellencie commendablenesse and worth thereof is either not known or if not unknown yet not laid to heart Now then in this our present sad condition if any thing can be suggested which may be a helpe to remove these causes of our failing in this kind it may bee hoped that godly and conscionable men will bee more carefull of the performance and more fearefull of the neglect thereof then hitherto they have been Therefore it will not bee amisse but may bee of very great use to offer some motives and inducements to incline them without partialitie to these resolutions and this wee shall intend to doe if God permit CHAP. XIII Concerning the necessitie of Brotherly unitie in the Ministery IF then we should take into consideration the absolute necessitie of this dutie it will appeare that the present evills whereinto these Churches and the state of this kingdome are fallen and which threaten all with unavoydable ruine are mainely brought upon us through the neglect of that ministeriall unitie and correspondencie which is sutable unto Christianitie For whosoever in the feare of God shall lay to heart the wofull condition of the Churches of Christ in this land will perceive that amongst the manifold causes of our miserable breaches The cause of● all our miseries and sinfull distractions the originall and consequently the greatest of all the rest is this That such as are called to bee the Ministers of the Gospel who by their owne confession are Brethren and fellow-labourers in the same imployment doe not maintaine those duties of Brotherly love fellowship and communion which by the nature of their work and by the appointment of their Lord and Master are made necessary for the manifestation of his glory and for their own mutuall edification For seeing by that which hath been hitherto shewed it must needs be acknowledged that they ought to stand together and looke upon each other as Brethren begotten of the same Father as fellow-souldiers in the same fight and warfare and as fellow-members in the same body of Christ Seeing I say this is confessed and cannot bee denied to bee so it will follow also undeniably that they ought in conscience to discharge the duties belonging to these relations which are not onely to professe a Brotherhood but to bee knit together in fervent love to have the same care one for another and joyntly to communicate in things belonging to the kingdome of Christ But that these duties notwithstanding all these relations are neither really thought upon nor at all prosecured to any purpose almost by any is no lesse undeniable and must needs although to our great shame be plainly and ingenuously confessed Seeing then the guilt of this their fault is so great and so apparent that no colour of excuse can bee pretended to extenuate it therefore the judgement is ripe for them and the punishment hath now in the sight of all the world most justly overtaken them For whereas they were lately in a capacitie to bee as happy within themselves and as profitable to the Kingdome of Christ abroad as any of all the Ministers on earth if they had continued in their unitie now they are like to bee more unsetled and more miserable within themselves and lesse respected by others and lesse usefull both at home and abroad towards the cause of Christ then any that are elsewhere in all the Churches this onely because they have suffered themselves in their profession to bee divided and have not regarded nor doe they yet regard the duties of their Christian Brotherhood The guilt of the Ministery so much as outward concernments For by this meanes they have corrupted the Covenant and are become partiall in the Law and caused many to stumble at the Law and therefore the Lord Mal. 2. 8 9. hath made them contemptible and caused all their adversaries to prevaile against them so that they have just cause to give glory unto him to lay their hands upon their mouths to be sensible of